Grothe-to-Hill again; USF leads 24-10

USF quarterback Matt Grothe has had quite a third quarter -- 8 of 10 for 154 yards and two touchdowns to tight end Cedric Hill, giving USF a little cushion with a 24-10 lead on Central Florida.

Grothe's best pass on the drive might have been a 37-yard pass to receiver Taurus Johnson, dropped in behind two defensive backs on a pivotal third-and-6. He found Hill on the next play -- the senior tight end has as many touchdowns in this quarter as he had in his entire USF career up until today.

Comments

Grothe really took the crowd out of the game with his performance in the 3rd quarter....

[Phi776]

24-17 TD UCF. If we play like this next week against Kansas we will be blown out.

[MAL]

If we play like this THIS week we're going to lose. Too many mistakes (interceptions AGAIN) and horrible special teams play (AGAIN). No killer instinct at the end.

[Reality]

How awful are the UCF fans?? There are SOOOO many empty seats it is sickening.....

Way to give up!

[Reality]

Well.....does the rapping kicker win one for us???????

[Reality]

Ok, If we have a timeout left and DEL does not like to kick from the extreme angle, why not run a running play to the middle of the field and then kick??? dumb

Worst end-game clock management I've ever seen. Eight-year-olds playing flag football on a sandlot could do it better. Was Leavitt not aware he still had a timeout? Idiocy, pure and simple.

[MAL]

I'll never understand why Leavitt sticks with Alvarado.

[Dave W]

Terrible and unexcusable decision. I cannot believe that they that could possibly be a good idea. We have a bad kicker, for starters, and we had a timeout. Just clueless coaching.

This loss -- assuming it happens, since it seems assured as overtime begins -- will be entirely on Leavitt and the coaches. That kind of indecision, playcalling and game management on the last drive in regulation is unacceptable at even the lowest levels of the sport.

Our kids don't deserve to lose. The coaches, though ... that's another matter.

[MA]

Harsh, guys.

[Dave W]

At least we pulled it out. Should have been a much bigger margin, though.

[Don Corleone]

What a finish…Grothe’s pick revived UCF which was on life support at the time. UCF showed tremendous heart, and I want to tip my cap to them and congratulate them for a valiant effort.

[k2]

I completely agree!!! That was HORRIBLE coaching, unacceptable. Fire the kicking coach, the kicker, the holder, anyone who hands water to Alverado, the tee manufacturer. Somebody should hang for kicking game.

But...only to be out done by Oleary and only needing an inch and trying to draw USF offsides. Why take the risk of a false start.

On another note...

Miami is going to be unstopable for the next four years.

That OT sure came in handy.

[k2]

Just a comment beyond the game.

THAT FIELD SUCKS!!!!!!!!!
How much did they spend on that steaming pile of dung? It is unwatchable on TV. I would wager my life savings that ESPN will NEVER televise another game from that wretched hole. There are high schools that have better stadiums than that.

Of course there were empty seats everywhere. 35,000 in attendance?

[UCF MOM]

What a game!!! That was awesome. ESPN made USF look like fools for snubbing their noses at UCF. That could have so easily been an upset. I saw such a great game tonight...and UCF definitely held its own. USF players are talking a lot of trash...I hope they have a lot of wins to back up those big attitudes! GO UCF and have a great season!!!

[UCF MOM]

Actually k2 have you been to the stadium??? It is absolutely beautiful. It is better than USF's. Oh thats right...USF doesn't have a stadium. snicker :). And the game WAS sold out tonight! The fans were soooo pumped. It was so great to see it on ESPN. Go Knights!

[JKR]

Nice job by UCF taking advantage of some horrible clock management - that team was just gassed in overtime. Conference USA has a nice future with UCF and ECU.

And that's why Leavitt wants no part of that series anymore. Winning by 52 last year did very little for us in the eyes of voters - winning by 7 will likely hurt us a bit.

But hey, a win IS a win, especially in the Big East this year. Sometimes an ugly win can help get a team focused the next week. Otherwise, Friday night will be uglier.

[Joe]

UCF BLOWS GO USF BCS BOWL GAME 08-09

[JKR]

No, we don't have our own stadium - we just play in one of the best football stadiums in the country. You should come over for a game sometime - I'll buy you a bottle of water.

UCF couldn't beat USF...now UCF's mom is coming after us.

[Ken]

I don't recall exactly what capacity is, but it looked quite full to me--if not a sellout, it was pretty close.

[ucf mom is a joke]

ha ha.... ur children go to UCF

thats where the kids who didnt get accepted to USF, UF, FSU for academics end up going.

[j-dizzle]

yo i thought the same thing with the clock management but if u watch it on tivo, we had used that timeout but they didnt take it off the tv.. just so u know it was a good decision by coaches.. just a bad kick by the imfamous delbert alvarado.. ps.. we need a kicker... martin gramatica would be better.. hahahaha

[Ken]

I think we're piling on. The stadium was full, and despite being down two touchdowns and seemingly out of it, most of the fans stayed, just as the UCF players hung in there too, and obviously made a game of it. A stadium like that would not be a good move for USF, but it is great for UCF--I think both schools can be justifiably pround of their stadiums.

The 11:56 poster is just wrong about UCF's admission standards--they are as rigorous as USF's--neither of us are in academic league with UF--not sure how USF and UCF's admisson standards the last year or two compare with FSU.

[TO UCF mom is a joke]

No...actually my son only applied to UCF. USF didn't offer the program he wanted to enter. There are only 4 colleges in the country that offer it. And you have it the other way around...USF is the last resort school. Most apply to UCF and UF and if they don't get accepted, then they go to USF. My son graduated from a Tampa high school in 2007 and I'm fully aware what all of his classmates were saying about USF. I used to live in New Tampa, 5 miles from USF and we'd seen enough of the crime that goes on in the direct vicinity of the school. It is located in the worst possible section of Tampa, right near suitcase city. It was ranked #8 last year on the FBIs list of the most violent campuses. So, do your homework. Don't be so jealous...you make it so obvious. UCF...6th largest university in the country...beautiful campus and great academic programs. It will only continue to get better and better...their athletic programs are taking off.

And JKR...I've been to the BUCS stadium...its ok...I definitely wouldn't call it one of the best. My point is...its not USFs stadium...you are guests as well.

My original point for writing was to say...you really have no business snubbing your noses at UCF...and the team definitely proved that last night...and ESPN did a good job of calling you out.

Go Knights!